High resolution ppi scan converter

Claim 2

An optical scan conversion system for converting a radar PPI scan into a raster scan comprising: a. a photochromic glass plate; b. a laser so arranged that a light beam therefrom impinges upon one surface of said plate; c. a modulator responsive to a radar video signal applied thereto, for modulating the intensity of said light beam; d. a linear sweep generator for converting said modulated light beam into a linear sweep across said one surface of said plate whereby said modulated laser beam causes the information represented by the modulation of the beam to be imparted on said plate in the form of variable transmittance thereof proportional to the variable intensity of the beam; e. synchro means for rotating said linear sweep about a circle in synchronism with a rotating radar antenna, whereby said linear sweep across said plate is also rotated in synchronism with said antenna, said sweep and said rotation of said information carrying beam causes a representation of a PPI scan pattern to be recorded in said plate; f. an optical information detector to scan said plate in a raster scan pattern for detecting the PPI information stored on said plate by said modulated laser beam and converting same to an electrical signal; and g. a display device operative in response to said electrical signal for displaying said PPI information in a raster scan format.

Claim 3

a planar array of fiber-optic bundles having one end formed into a closed end and the opposite end into a linear array, said fiber-optic bundles being so arranged that said beam of modulated light reflected from said nutating mirror successively impinges upon the ends of successive bundles around said closed end, the linear end being placed in close proximity to a surface of said recording medium, whereby said nutating mirror causes said modulated light beam to be successively transmitted through each fiber-optic bundle of said array at the closed end thereof, whereby due to the light transmitting properties of said fiber-optic bundles said modulated light beam is transmitted unchanged to said linear end of the above, whereby any light passing through said array and out at said linear end thereof will impinge on said surface, and whereby a linear sweep is effected across said surface of said recording medium, e. detection means operative in response to a second light beam from said second light source and transmitted through said recording medium according to said second scan pattern for producing electric signals representative of the information recorded on said recording medium by said modulated first light beam, and f. display means operative in response to said electric signals produced by said detection means for producing a visual representation of said electric signals.

Claim 4

a planar array of fiber-optic bundles having one end formed into a closed end and the opposite end into a linear array, said fiber-optic bundles being so arranged that said beam of modulated light reflected from said nutating mirror successively impinges upon the ends of successive bundles around said closed end, the linear end being placed in close proximity to a surface of said recording medium, whereby said nutating mirror causes said modulated light beam to be successively transmitted through each fiber-optic bundle of said array at the closed end thereof, whereby due to the light transmitting properties of said fiber-optic bundles said modulated light beam is transmitted unchanged to said linear end of the above, whereby any light passing through said array and out at said linear end thereof will impinge on said surface, and whereby a linear sweep is effected across said surface of said recording medium, e. detection means operative in response to a second light beam from said second light source and transmitted through said recording medium according to said second scan pattern for producing electric signals representative of the information recorded on said recording medium by said modulated first light beam, and f. display means operative in response to said electric signals produced by said detection means for producing a visual representation of said electric signals.

Claim 5

An optical scan conversion system for converting received electrical signals from a first scan pattern to a second scan pattern, comprising: a. a photooptical recording medium; b. a first light source and a second light source; c. means operative in response to electrical signals representative of information for modulating the intensity of a light beam from said first light source; d. a rotatable linear sweep generator for transmitting said modulated first light beam linearly to a surface of said photooptical-recording medium in accordance with said first scan pattern, thereby to record on said surface the signals represented by the modulations of said first light beam, said recording being effected by the modulations varying the transmittance of said recording medium, said linear sweep generator including a moving mirror and rotating Dove prism intersecting said modulated first light beam which bring said light beam to a focus on said recording medium, the movement of said focused beam being oscillatory and in a single plane, whereby a straight line is generated upon said recording medium by said moving light beam, e. detection means operative in response to a second light beam from said second light source and transmitted through said recording medium according to said second scan pattern for producing electric signals representative of the information recorded on said recording medium by said modulated first light beam; and f. display means operative in response to said electric signals produced by said detection means for producing a visual representation of said electric signals.

Claim 6

An optical scan conversion system for converting received electrical signals from a first scan pattern to a second scan pattern, comprising: a. a photooptical recording medium; b. a first light source and a second light source; c. means operative in response to electrical signals representative of information for modulating the intensity of a light beam from said first light source; d. a rotatable linear sweep generator for transmitting said modulated first light beam linearly to a surface of said photooptical-recording medium in accordance with said first scan pattern, thereby to record on said surface the signals represented by the modulations of said first light beam, said recording being effected by the modulations varying the transmittance of said recording medium, said linear sweep generator including a moving mirror and rotating Dove prism intersecting said modulated first light beam which bring said light beam to a focus on said recording medium, the movement of said focused beam being oscillatory and in a single plane, whereby a straight line is generated upon said recording medium by said moving light beam, e. detection means operative in response to a second light beam from said second light source and transmitted through said recording medium according to said second scan pattern for producing electric signals representative of the information recorded on said recording medium by said modulated first light beam; and f. display means operative in response to said electric signals produced by said detection means for producing a visual representation of said electric signals.

Claim 7

An optical scan conversion system for converting received electrical signals from a first scan pattern to a second scan pattern, comprising: a. a photooptical-recording medium, b. a first light source and a second light source; c. means operative in response to electrical signals representative of information for modulating the intensity of a light beam from said first light source; d. a rotatable linear sweep generator for transmitting said modulated first light beam linearly to a surface of said photooptical-recording medium in accordance with said first scan pattern, thereby to record on said surface the signals represented by the modulations of said first light beam, said recording being effected by the modulations varying the transmittance of said recording medium, said linear sweep generator comprising:

Claim 8

An optical scan conversion system for converting received electrical signals from a first scan pattern to a second scan pattern, comprising: a. a photooptical-recording medium, b. a first light source and a second light source; c. means operative in response to electrical signals representative of information for modulating the intensity of a light beam from said first light source; d. a rotatable linear sweep generator for transmitting said modulated first light beam linearly to a surface of said photooptical-recording medium in accordance with said first scan pattern, thereby to record on said surface the signals represented by the modulations of said first light beam, said recording being effected by the modulations varying the transmittance of said recording medium, said linear sweep generator comprising:

Claim 9

An optical scan conversion system according to claim 3 wherein the means for rotating said linear sweep generator rotates said fiber-optic array to maintain one end of said linear end fixed at some point on said surface of said recording medium.